The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed one more death and five new hospitalizations in its latest update this week, indicating a consistent spread of the virus in the region with little change up or down.
New COVID cases confirmed through testing were six per cent higher during the week of Sept. 11 compared to the week of Sept. 4, with health unit reports indicating 265 cases and 251 cases respectively.
There were 318 cases confirmed since the last update on Sept. 15, including 184 new cases reported this week.
There are 30 area residents currently hospitalized because of COVID-19. By hospitalization date, there were 18 COVID patients admitted during the week of Sept. 4 to 10, and 10 admitted during the week of Sept. 11 to 17.
There have been 56 deaths linked to COVID reported by the health unit from July to now, with seven of those occurring in September.
There are 25 active outbreaks in the region, including 16 at institutional settings like hospitals or long-term care homes, and nine at congregate settings like group homes and shelters.
Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 50,612 cases of COVID-19, with 49,516 of those cases recovered and 568 cases ending in death.
Of the deaths reported by the health unit since March 2020, 481 were COVID-19-related, 79 deaths were not related to COVID-19 but the person tested positive, and for eight of them, the cause of death is unknown or pending.
To date, 83 per cent of the population aged five years old and up are fully vaccinated with two or more doses, and 18 per cent of the region’s total population (including children) is unvaccinated.
Wastewater monitoring in Bracebridge shows a decrease in COVID-19 virus DNA. Samples from Barrie, Penetanguishene, Midland, Orillia, and Collingwood show COVID-19 virus DNA as present in each of the communities, but there's been no increase or decrease noted in the last week.
Anyone who has not yet received their COVID-19 vaccination or booster doses is encouraged to do so as soon as they are eligible. Information about eligibility and clinic locations is available at smdhu.org/GetVaccinated.
